Paper sheet separation device and paper sheet separation method

ABSTRACT

A paper sheet separation device includes a separation roller coming into contact with paper sheets, a feed roller rotating with respect to the separation roller to convey the paper sheets separately one by one, and a pair of guide members having guide faces coming into sliding contact with a front end of the paper sheets and being provided on both sides in an axial direction of the separation roller. A friction coefficient of the guide face is smaller than a friction coefficient of a peripheral face of the separation roller. The guide face is provided protruding outward of the separation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller in a radial direction of the separation roller. The guide face is supported to be able to move inward in the radial direction of the separation roller at a contact point between the separation roller and the feed roller.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of InternationalApplication PCT/JP2018/006031, filed on Feb. 20, 2018 and designatingthe U.S., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a paper sheet separation device and apaper sheet separation method.

BACKGROUND

As a banknote handling apparatus such as an ATM (Automated TellerMachine), there is known a banknote handling apparatus including abanknote storage device for temporarily storing deposited banknotes.This type of banknote storage device includes a banknote separationdevice for separating and feeding the accumulated banknotes one by one,after storing the banknotes in an accumulation unit.

The banknote separation device is configured to have a set of aseparation roller and a feed roller for separating and feeding banknotesaccumulated in the accumulation unit one by one. In the banknoteseparation device, the front end of the banknote, which advances fromthe accumulation unit side, comes into contact with the peripheral faceof the separation roller at the contact point between the separationroller and the feed roller to reduce the overlapping of banknotes, andthe front end of one banknote is guided to the contact point to properlyfeed the banknote. However, in the banknote separation device, the frontend of the banknote, which advances from the accumulation unit side, maycome into contact with the peripheral face of the separation roller at aposition away from the above-described contact point toward theaccumulation unit side. In such a case, since the separation roller usedis made of rubber, the frictional force between the banknote and theperipheral face of the separation roller greatly acts on the front endof the banknote, and may regulate the advance of the banknote. As aresult, the banknote is drawn in an abnormal deformed state between theseparation roller and the feed roller, and disadvantageously causes apaper jam (hereinafter referred to as a jam).

Further, in the banknote separation device, when the front end of thebanknote comes into contact with the corners (edges) on the end facesides of both ends in the axial direction of the separation roller, thebanknote may be stopped due to the frictional force between the frontend and the edges, causing skew that the banknote is obliquely conveyedin the proper feeding direction of the banknote. As a result, the skewedbanknote is drawn between the separation roller and the feed roller, anddisadvantageously causes a jam.

Patent Literature 1: WO2016/147412

As a countermeasure for the above-described problem, there is known arelated art for reducing the frictional force between the banknote andthe peripheral face of the separation roller. FIG. 14 is a perspectiveview illustrating a separation roller of a banknote separation device ofthe related art. As illustrated in FIG. 14, separation roller 116 has acentral portion 116 a formed of a rubber material that has a largefriction coefficient in the axial direction of rotary shaft 125, andboth end portions 116 b formed of a resin material that has a smallfriction coefficient. The central portion 116 a and both end portions116 b have the same outer diameter and are integrally formed. Theseparation roller 116 reduces the frictional force of both end portions116 b in the axial direction, and thus the front end of a banknote issmoothly guided to the contact point between the separation roller 116and feed roller 117.

However, in the above-described separation roller 116, the centralportion 116 a and both end portions 116 b, which have differentexpansion coefficients, thermally expand respectively with changes intemperature and humidity in the operating environment. In particular,under the environment of high temperature and high humidity, the centralportion 116 a expands more than both end portions 116 b in the radialdirection of the separation roller 116, so that only the central portion116 a comes into contact with the front end of the banknote. The centralportion 116 a may cause deformation such that the front end of thebanknote collapses with respect to the advancing direction of thebanknote, or may cause the banknote to skew. In particular, if abanknote, of which front end is folded upward (separation roller 116side), is fed when the banknote is fed from the accumulation unit, thereis an issue such that the front end of the banknote is caught by thecentral portion 116 a of the separation roller 116, and the banknote isdeformed without being guided to the contact point between theseparation roller 116 and the feed roller 117.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the embodiments, a paper sheet separationdevice includes: A separation roller that comes into contact with papersheets, which are conveyed from an accumulation unit accumulating thepaper sheets; a feed roller that is arranged in contact with theseparation roller and rotates with respect to the stopped separationroller to convey the paper sheets separately one by one; and a pair ofguide members that has guide faces, which come into sliding contact witha front end of the paper sheets, which is conveyed from the accumulationunit, and is provided on both sides in an axial direction of theseparation roller, wherein a friction coefficient of the guide face issmaller than a friction coefficient of a peripheral face of theseparation roller, the guide face is provided protruding outward of theseparation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller in aradial direction of the separation roller, and the guide face issupported to be able to move inward in the radial direction of theseparation roller at a contact point between the separation roller andthe feed roller.

The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attainedby means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out inthe claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and arenot restrictive of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an entirebanknote handling apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for describing the banknotehandling apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a banknoteseparation device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a separation roller and a feedroller of the banknote separation device according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the separationroller and the feed roller of the banknote separation device accordingto the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the separation roller andthe feed roller of the banknote separation device according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the separation roller andguide members of the banknote separation device according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating the separation roller and the guidemembers of the banknote separation device according to the firstembodiment, as viewed from the side where a banknote enters theseparation roller.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for describing the operation of theguide member in the banknote separation device according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for describing the banknote separating operationaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a guide member of a banknoteseparation device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a side view for describing guide faces of the guide memberaccording to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view for describing the operation of theguide member according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a separation roller of abanknote separation device of the related art.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the paper sheet separation device and thepaper sheet separation method disclosed in the present application, willbe described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that thepaper sheet separation device and the paper sheet separation methoddisclosed in the present application, are not limited by the followingembodiments.

First Embodiment

(Configuration of Banknote Handling Apparatus)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an entirebanknote handling apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is aschematic cross-sectional view for describing the banknote handlingapparatus according to the embodiment.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a banknote handling apparatus 1according to the embodiment includes a deposit/withdrawal unit 3 fordepositing/withdrawing a banknote 2, a first temporary storage unit 4for temporarily storing the banknote 2 that is deposited in thedeposit/withdrawal unit 3, a discrimination unit 5 for discriminatingthe banknote 2 that is conveyed from the first temporary storage unit 4,and a second temporary storage unit 6 for temporarily storing thebanknote 2 that is conveyed from the discrimination unit 5. The banknotehandling apparatus 1 also includes a recirculation unit 7 for storingand withdrawing the banknote 2 that is conveyed from the discriminationunit 5 to recirculate the banknote 2, and a reject unit 8 for storingthe banknote 2 abnormal in thickness and length or the banknote 2degraded (damaged).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the banknote handling apparatus 1, abanknote 2, which is deposited from the deposit/withdrawal unit 3, isstored in the first temporary storage unit 4, and then discriminated bythe discrimination unit 5. The banknote 2, which is discriminated by thediscrimination unit 5, is stored and accumulated in the second temporarystorage unit 6. At this time, when the deposited banknote 2 is returned,the banknote 2, which is stored in the second temporary storage unit 6,is conveyed to the deposit/withdrawal unit 3, and returned from thedeposit/withdrawal unit 3. On the other hand, when the depositedbanknote 2 is processed to be received, the banknote is conveyed againfrom the second temporary storage unit 6 to the first temporary storageunit 4, conveyed from the first temporary storage unit 4 to thediscrimination unit 5, and then stored in a storage cassette 7 a of therecirculation unit 7 from the discrimination unit 5 for each type of thebanknote 2.

Next, when the banknote 2, which is stored in the recirculation unit 7,is to be withdrawn, the banknote 2 is conveyed from the recirculationunit 7 to the discrimination unit 5, and then conveyed from thediscrimination unit 5 to the second temporary storage unit 6 forstorage. Subsequently, the banknote 2, which is stored in the secondtemporary storage unit 6, is conveyed to the deposit/withdrawal unit 3,and withdrawn from the deposit/withdrawal unit 3. Further, the banknote2, which is deposited from the deposit/withdrawal unit 3, is detected bythe discrimination unit 5 in its thickness, length and deteriorationstate, and the banknote 2, which is detected as abnormal, is conveyedfrom the discrimination unit 5 to the reject unit 8 and stored.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first temporary storage unit 4, which isincorporated in the banknote handling apparatus 1, configured asdescribed above includes a banknote separation device 11 according tothe embodiment. As with the first temporary storage unit 4, therecirculation unit 7 of the banknote handling apparatus 1 also includesthe banknote separation device 11 according to the embodiment. In thefollowing embodiment, the banknote separation device 11 included in thefirst temporary storage unit 4, will be described as an example.

For convenience of description, the width direction of the banknotehandling apparatus 1 is referred to as the X direction, the longitudinaldirection of the banknote handling apparatus 1 is referred to as the Ydirection, and the vertical direction of the banknote handling apparatus1 is referred to as the Z direction, when the banknote handlingapparatus 1 is viewed from the side of the deposit/withdrawal unit 3 inFIG. 1. In FIG. 2 and subsequent drawings, the X, Y, and Z directionsare illustrated, respectively, as in FIG. 1. Further, the presentembodiment uses the banknote 2 as an example of paper sheets, but is notlimited to the banknote 2. The paper sheets include, for example,securities such as negotiable instruments, checks, gift certificates,various securities, and stock certificates.

(Configuration of Banknote Separation Device)

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a banknoteseparation device 11 according to the embodiment. As illustrated in FIG.3, the banknote separation device 11 according to the embodimentincludes a storage cassette 13, a pickup roller 15, a pair of aseparation roller 16 and a feed roller 17, and a pair of guide members18.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the storage cassette 13 has an accumulationunit 14 in which a banknote 2 is temporarily accumulated and stored. Thebanknote 2, which is conveyed into the banknote separation device 11, isstacked and stored in the accumulation unit 14 in the vertical direction(Z direction). The accumulation unit 14 is provided with a delivery port14 a for delivering the accumulated banknotes 2 at a position adjacentto the separation roller 16. The delivery port 14 a is formed to belarger than the thickness and the length in the long-side direction ofthe banknote 2, so that the banknote 2 can be smoothly delivered fromthe inside of the accumulation unit 14. The banknote 2, which has passedthrough the delivery port 14 a, is conveyed along a conveying path 14 b.

The storage cassette 13 has a stage 13 a for pressing the plurality ofbanknotes 2, which is accumulated in the accumulation unit 14, in thethickness direction. The stage 13 a is provided in the accumulation unit14 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Further, the stage 13a is biased toward the lower side where the pickup roller 15 is arrangedin the thickness direction of a plurality of the accumulated banknotes2, by a pressing force of a pressing mechanism not illustrated.

The pickup roller 15 is arranged adjacent to the bottom of theaccumulation unit 14 and supported by a rotary shaft 21. The peripheralface of the pickup roller 15 is in contact with the banknote 2 (banknote2 on the feed side) positioned at the lowest position among theplurality of banknotes 2 that is accumulated in the accumulation unit14. The pickup roller 15 is rotated by a drive mechanism not illustratedto transfer the banknote 2 positioned at the lowest position in theaccumulation unit 14 to the contact point P0 side where the separationroller 16 and the feed roller 17 come into contact with each other.Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the pickup roller 15 is supported viaa coil spring 22 so as to be movable in the thickness direction of theplurality of banknotes 2 that is stacked in the accumulation unit 14,that is, in the moving direction of the stage 13 a.

The coil spring 22 is also provided with a pressure sensor 23 fordetecting a pressing force applied to the pickup roller 15. The pressingmechanism for pressing the stage 13 a, is controlled by a control unit(not illustrated), based on the pressing force that is detected by thepressure sensor 23. Thus, the pickup roller 15 is controlled to beapplied an appropriate pressing force corresponding to the number ofbanknotes 2 that are accumulated in the accumulation unit 14. As aresult, the pickup roller 15 can appropriately transfer only onebanknote 2 that is positioned at the lowest position among the pluralityof banknotes 2 in the accumulation unit 14.

(Configuration of Separation Roller and Guide Member)

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the separation roller 16 andthe feed roller 17 of the banknote separation device 11 according to thefirst embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view illustratingthe separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17 of the banknoteseparation device 11 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is across-sectional view illustrating the separation roller 16 and the feedroller 17 of the banknote separation device 11 according to the firstembodiment.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, in the banknote separation device11, two sets of the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17 arearranged at a predetermined interval with respect to the long-sidedirection of the banknote 2 advancing along the short-side directionfrom the accumulation unit 14 side. As illustrated in FIG. 6, whenviewed from the axial direction of a rotary shaft 25 of the separationroller 16, a set of the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17 hasa contact point (separation point) P0 in contact with each other. Inpractice, although the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17 comeinto line contact with each other along the axial direction of aperipheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16, the contact point ishereinafter referred to as the contact point P0 for convenience ofdescription. The separation roller 16 comes into contact with thebanknote 2 that is conveyed from the accumulation unit 14 where thebanknote 2 is accumulated. The feed roller 17 rotates with respect tothe stopped separation roller 16, so that the banknotes 2 are conveyedseparately one by one at the contact point P0 with the separation roller16.

The peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16 is formed of arubber material, and has a frictional force suitable for performing theseparating operation of the banknote 2. The separation roller 16 isarranged above the feed roller 17 and supported by the rotary shaft 25.The separation roller 16 stops without rotating when the banknote 2 inthe accumulation unit 14 is conveyed separately. The separation roller16 may be configured to rotate together with the feed roller 17following the rotation of the feed roller 17 which reverses thedirection of returning the banknote 2 to the accumulation unit 14 sidewhen a jam occurs in the vicinity of the delivery port 14 a. In thisconfiguration, the rotation state and the stop state of the separationroller 16 are switched by a clutch mechanism, for example.

The separation roller 16 is also biased in a direction in contact withthe feed roller 17 by a biasing member (not illustrated) such as acompression coil spring. Thus, when the banknote 2 is fed through thecontact point P0, the separation roller 16 elastically displaces in adirection away from the feed roller 17. At this time, the separationroller 16 is set to make a gap corresponding to the thickness of onebanknote 2 at the contact point P0 with the feed roller 17.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a cover member 27, which covers theupper side of the separation roller 16, is also provided between theaccumulation unit 14 and the separation roller 16, and the banknote 2,which is conveyed from the accumulation unit 14, is guided to theseparation roller 16 side by the cover member 27. The cover member 27 isformed of a resin material and extends from the inside of theaccumulation unit 14 toward the separation roller 16 side. Further, asillustrated in FIG. 6, the cover member 27 has a curved face 27 a curvedso that the end portion on the separation roller 16 side approaches theperipheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16. Thus, the banknotes 2,which are stacked in the accumulation unit 14, are conveyed by thepickup roller 15, and slide along the curved face 27 a of the covermember 27 to smoothly advance toward the separation roller 16 side.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the separation roller 16 andthe guide members 18 of the banknote separation device 11 according tothe first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating the separationroller 16 and the guide members 18 of the banknote separation device 11according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the side where abanknote 2 enters the separation roller 16.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, a pair of guide members 18 forguiding the front end of the banknote 2, which is conveyed from theaccumulation unit 14, toward the contact point P0, is provided on bothsides in the axial direction (X direction) of the separation roller 16,and the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16 is sandwichedbetween the pair of guide members 18. The pair of guide members 18 isformed in a substantially disk shape from a resin material such as POM(polyacetal) or PPE (polyphenylene ether). The guide member 18 has aguide face 18 a on which the front end of the banknote 2, which isconveyed from the accumulation unit 14, comes into sliding contact, ashaft hole 18 b supported by the rotary shaft 25 of the separationroller 16, and a support pin 18 c supporting a later-described biasingmember 19.

The outer diameter of the disc-shaped guide member 18 is formed largerthan the outer diameter of the separation roller 16, and the outerperipheral face of the guide member 18 functions as a guide face 18 a.Therefore, the guide face 18 a protrudes outward of the separationroller 16 from the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16 inthe radial direction of the separation roller 16. Further, each of theguide face 18 a of the pair of guide members 18 protrudes outward in theradial direction of the separation roller 16 from the peripheral face 16a of the separation roller 16 over the entire periphery of theseparation roller 16. Since the guide member 18 is formed of a resinmaterial, the friction coefficient of the guide face 18 a is smallerthan the friction coefficient of the peripheral face 16 a of theseparation roller 16 as compared with the separation roller 16 made ofrubber.

In the radial direction of the separation roller 16, the amount ofprotrusion of the guide face 18 a with respect to the peripheral face 16a of the separation roller 16 is set to be larger than the differencebetween the amount of expansion of the rubber material of the separationroller 16 and the amount of expansion of the resin material of the guidemember 18 under the operating environment at high temperature and highhumidity, for example. Thus, the guide face 18 a is kept in a state ofprotruding from the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16even when the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16 expandsin the radial direction of the separation roller 16.

The guide face 18 a is formed in a circumferential surface shape alongthe peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16, and the guide face18 a is formed to be aligned with the peripheral face 16 a of theseparation roller 16 when the guide member 18 moves in the radialdirection of the separation roller 16. Although the guide face 18 a isformed in a circumferential surface shape with respect to thecircumferential direction of the separation roller 16, the guide face 18a may partially include a portion extended in a linear shape if desired.In the first embodiment, the width of the peripheral face 16 a of theseparation roller 16 in the axial direction (X direction) of the rotaryshaft 25 is set to about 6 [mm], and the width of each of the guide face18 a of the guide member 18 in the axial direction of the rotary shaft25 is set to about 1 [mm].

Further, the material for forming the guide face 18 a of the guidemember 18 is not limited to a resin material, but may be a materialhaving a smaller friction coefficient than the rubber material forforming the separation roller 16. The guide face 18 a may be formed of,for example, a coating film such as a plating film for reducing thefriction coefficient, or a low-friction member for forming the guideface 18 a may be incorporated in the guide member 18.

The shaft hole 18 b of the guide member 18 is a long hole extending inthe vertical direction (Z direction), and the rotary shaft 25 isinserted to be movable in the vertical direction. Thus, each of theguide faces 18 a of the pair of guide members 18 is supported to be ableto move independently in a direction, in which each of the guide faces18 a comes into contact with and separated from the contact point P0between the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17 (Z direction).Therefore, the guide face 18 a is supported to be able to move inward inthe radial direction of the separation roller 16 at the contact point P0between the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17. A regulatingpiece (not illustrated) for regulating the rotation of the guide member18 may also be formed in the shaft hole 18 b along the major axisdirection of the shaft hole 18 b.

One end side of a biasing member 19 for biasing the guide member 18toward the feed roller 17 side, that is, toward the contact point P0side between the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17, isattached to the support pin 18 c of the guide member 18. The other endside of the biasing member 19 is fixed to a support portion (notillustrated) formed on the cover member 27, for example. For example, acompression coil spring is used as the biasing member 19.

The feed roller 17 is arranged below the separation roller 16 andsupported by a rotary shaft 26. The feed roller 17 is connected to adrive mechanism for driving the pickup roller 15, and is rotationallydriven in conjunction with the rotation of the pickup roller 15. At thistime, the separation roller 16 stops without rotating.

The feed roller 17 has a base portion 17 a formed of a resin material,and an elastic portion 17 b formed of a rubber material, and isconstituted by fitting the elastic portion 17 b into the base portion 17a. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the elastic portion 17 b is providedonly at one portion in the circumferential direction of the feed roller17. Further, as the rubber material for forming the elastic portion 17 bof the feed roller 17, a material having a larger friction coefficientand a lower hardness than the rubber material for forming the separationroller, 16 is used. For example, silicone rubber is used as a rubbermaterial for forming the elastic portion 17 b of the feed roller 17. Thesilicone rubber is a material having a higher adhesive force and ahigher frictional force than the urethane rubber forming the separationroller 16. The diameter of the feed roller 17 is formed larger than thediameter of the entire separation roller 16.

When the feed roller 17 is driven to rotate and the elastic portion 17 bcontacts the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16 at thecontact point P0 with the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller16, the banknote 2 is separated one by one by the separation roller 16.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, an optical sensor 28 for counting the numberof banknotes 2 that have passed through the contact point P0 and fordetecting skew of the banknote 2, is arranged downstream of the contactpoint P0 in the conveying direction of the banknote 2. The opticalsensor 28 has a light emitter 28 a for emitting a detection light, and alight receiver 28 b for receiving the detection light that is emitted bythe light emitter 28 a. The light emitter 28 a and the light receiver 28b are arranged opposite to each other across the conveying path of thebanknote 2 so that the banknote 2, which passes through the contactpoint P0, intersects with the detection light. The light emitter 28 aand the light receiver 28 b are also electrically connected to acontroller, and a detection signal is sent from the light receiver 28 bto the controller. The controller counts the number of banknotes 2,which are fed out from the accumulation unit 14, based on the detectionsignal, and detects the skew of the banknote 2.

Further, in the storage cassette 13, a group of conveying rollers 29 isrotatably arranged on the downstream side with respect to the contactpoint P0 in the conveying direction of the banknote 2 that are fed outfrom the accumulation unit 14. The conveying roller 29 is arranged incontact with the peripheral face of the feed roller 17, and is rotatedtogether with the feed roller 17 following the rotation of the feedroller 17. The conveying roller 29 conveys the banknote 2 to the outsideof the banknote separation device 11 by sandwiching the banknote 2between the conveying roller 29 and the feed roller 17. A switchingmember 30 for switching the conveying path of the banknote 2, is alsorotatably provided in the vicinity of the conveying roller 29, which isarranged adjacent to the outside of the storage cassette 13.

Note that, in the present embodiment, the plurality of banknotes 2,which is accumulated in the accumulation unit 14, is pressed verticallydownward, and the separation roller 16 is arranged on the upper sidewith respect to the feed roller 17, but the arrangement is not limitedto the vertical direction. For example, the separation roller 16 may bearranged on the lower side with respect to the feed roller 17.

(Operation of Guide Member in Banknote Separation Device)

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for describing the operation of theguide member 18 in the banknote separation device 11 according to thefirst embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for describing the banknoteseparating operation according to the first embodiment.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the banknote 2 is fed out from theaccumulation unit 14 by the pickup roller 15 (step S1), and the frontend of the banknote 2 advances toward the separation roller 16 side. Atthis time, for example, even when the banknote 2, of which front end isbent upward, is conveyed, the banknote 2 slides along the guide face 18a (step S2), and the front end of the banknote 2 is smoothly guidedtoward the contact point P0 between the separation roller 16 and thefeed roller 17. Thus, deformation of the front end of the banknote 2, isreduced, and jam and skew of the banknote 2 is reduced. When the frontend of the banknote 2 reaches the contact point P0, the front end of thebanknote 2 enters the contact point P0, and thus the guide face 18 a ismoved by the banknote 2 at the contact point P0 (step S3), and the guidemember 18 is lifted along the shaft hole 18 b.

As the guide member 18 is lifted, the guide face 18 a is aligned withthe peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16, so that the frontend of the banknote 2 comes into contact with the peripheral face 16 aof the separation roller 16 (step S4), and the banknotes 2 are separatedone by one by the separation roller 16 (step S5). In other words, thefront end of the banknote 2 is smoothly guided along the guide face 18 ato the contact point P0, and the banknote is conveyed from the contactpoint P0 by properly separating by the peripheral face 16 a of theseparation roller 16.

When two or more banknotes 2 enter the contact point P0, the guide face18 a retracts to the inside of the separation roller 16 from theperipheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16, thereby reducing jamof the plurality of banknotes 2 in the vicinity of the contact point P0.Further, since the guide faces 18 a of the pair of guide members 18 inthe first embodiment can move independently of each other, the abilityto follow the behavior of the banknote 2, which are conveyed from theaccumulation unit 14, is high, and the jam of the banknote 2 in thevicinity of the contact point P0, is reduced.

(Banknote Separation Method)

A banknote separation method using the banknote separation device 11configured as described above, will be described. The banknoteseparation method includes sliding the front end of the banknote 2,which is conveyed from the accumulation unit 14, along the guide face 18a of the guide member 18 to the contact point P0 between the separationroller 16 and the feed roller 17, moving the guide face 18 a inward inthe radial direction of the separation roller 16 by the banknote 2 atthe contact point P0 to bring the banknote 2 into contact with theperipheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16, and separating thebanknote 2 by the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17.

As described above, the banknote separation device 11 according to thefirst embodiment, includes a pair of guide members 18 that has a guideface 18 a, which comes into sliding contact with the front end of thebanknote 2 that is conveyed from the accumulation unit 14, and beingprovided on both sides in the axial direction (X direction) of theseparation roller 16, the friction coefficient of the guide face 18 abeing smaller than the friction coefficient of the peripheral face 16 aof the separation roller 16, the guide face 18 a being providedprotruding outward of the separation roller 16 from the peripheral face16 a of the separation roller 16 in the radial direction of theseparation roller 16, and the guide face 18 a being supported to be ableto move inward in the radial direction of the separation roller 16 atthe contact point P0 between the separation roller 16 and the feedroller 17. Thus, the front end of the banknote 2 can be smoothly guidedto the contact point P0 side along the guide face 18 a, so thatdeformation such as bending of the front end of the banknote 2, can bereduced. Further, since the guide face 18 a protrudes from theperipheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16, adverse effects, dueto expansion of the separation roller 16 under the operating environmentat a high temperature and high humidity, can be reduced. Thus, thebanknote separation device 11 can reduce the jam or skew of the banknote2 during the separating operation, and enhance the reliability of theseparating operation of the banknote 2.

The banknote separation device 11 prevents the front end of the banknote2 from being caught by the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller16 even when the banknote 2, of which front end is bent upward(separation roller 16 side), is fed out especially when the banknote 2is fed out from the accumulation unit 14, so that the banknote 2 can besmoothly guided to the contact point P0.

In addition, since the pair of guide members 18 moves independently ofeach other, the banknote separation device 11 can enhance the ability tofollow the behavior of the banknote 2 that are conveyed from theaccumulation unit 14, and reduce the jam of the banknote 2 in thevicinity of the contact point P0.

The banknote separation device 11 according to the first embodiment,also includes the biasing member 19 for biasing the pair of guidemembers 18 toward the contact point P0 side, in which the pair of guidemembers 18 is provided movably in the radial direction of the rotaryshaft 25 of the separation roller 16. Thus, for example, since the pairof guide members 18 is supported movably by the rotary shaft 25, thepair of guide members 18 can be supported movably with a simpleconfiguration, so that the overall size of the banknote separationdevice 11 can be suppressed.

The second embodiment will be described below with reference to thedrawings. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in thefirst embodiment, are denoted by the same reference numerals as those inthe first embodiment, and description thereof is omitted. The secondembodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of theguide member.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a guide member of a banknoteseparation device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a sideview for describing guide faces of the guide member according to thesecond embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 11, a banknote separationdevice 31 according to the second embodiment, includes a guide member 35for guiding the front end of the banknote 2, which is conveyed from theaccumulation unit 14, toward the contact point P0. The guide member 35according to the second embodiment has a pair of guide portions 36corresponding to the pair of guide members 18 according to the firstembodiment, and a connecting portion 37 for connecting the pair of guideportions 36.

The guide portion 36 has a guide face 36 a on which the front end of thebanknote 2, which is conveyed from the accumulation unit 14, comes intosliding contact, a shaft hole 36 b supported by the rotary shaft 25 ofthe separation roller 16, and a support pin 36 c supporting the biasingmember 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, each of the guide faces 36 a of the pair ofguide portions 36 extend from the accumulation unit 14 side toward thecontact point P0 between the separation roller 16 and the feed roller 17along the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16. Each of theguide faces 36 a protrudes outward in the radial direction of theseparation roller 16 from the peripheral face 16 a of the separationroller 16 on the accumulation unit 14 side. In the radial direction ofthe separation roller 16, the amount of protrusion of the guide face 36a gradually decreases toward the contact point P0 side. The minimumvalue of the amount of protrusion of the guide face 36 a is also set tobe larger than the difference between the amount of expansion of therubber material of the separation roller 16 and the amount of expansionof the resin material of the guide member 35 under the operatingenvironment at high temperature and high humidity, for example.

Each of the guide faces 36 a is positioned inward (centrally) in theradial direction of the separation roller 16 from the peripheral face 16a of the separation roller 16 in the vicinity of the contact point P0.Further, each of the guide faces 36 a extends inward in the radialdirection of the separation roller 16 from the peripheral face 16 a ofthe separation roller 16 at the downstream from the contact point P0 inthe conveying direction of the banknote 2. Here, the vicinity of thecontact point P0 indicates a range of, for example, about a few [mm]positioned above the contact point P0 (the accumulation unit 14 side) inthe conveying direction of the banknote 2.

Thus, the guide member 35 according to the second embodiment is formedsuch that the guide face 36 a retracts inward of the separation roller16 from the peripheral face 16 a in the vicinity of the contact point P0and the peripheral face 16 a protrudes outward from the guide face 36 a,in comparison with the guide member 18 according to the firstembodiment. In the radial direction of the separation roller 16, theamount of protrusion of the peripheral face 16 a at the contact point P0with respect to the guide face 36 a, is set to, for example, about thethickness of one banknote 2. As illustrate in FIG. 12, the guide face 36a also includes a portion extending linearly from the accumulation unit14 side toward the vicinity of the contact point P0, and the front endof the banknote 2 is smoothly guided along the linear guide face 36 a tothe contact point P0.

The shaft hole 36 b of the guide portion 36 is a long hole extending inthe vertical direction (Z direction), and the rotary shaft 25 isinserted to be movable in the vertical direction. Thus, each of theguide faces 36 a of the pair of guide portions 36, which is connectedvia the connecting portion 37, is supported to be integrally movable ina direction (Z direction) in which each of the guide faces 36 a comesinto contact with and separates from the contact point P0 between theseparation roller 16 and the feed roller 17.

The connecting portion 37 extends in the axial direction (X direction)of the separation roller 16 so as to cover the peripheral face 16 a ofthe separation roller 16 facing the accumulation unit 14 side, and isformed integrally with the pair of guide portions 36. The connectingportion 37 is also formed to bulge toward the accumulation unit 14 side(Y direction), and functions as a lower end portion of the cover member27 according to the first embodiment. The connecting portion 37 has aguide face 37 a on which the front end of the banknote 2, which isconveyed from the accumulation unit 14, comes in sliding contact. Theguide face 37 a is formed to be smoothly continuous with the guide face36 a of the guide portion 36.

(Operation of Guide Member in Banknote Separation Device)

In the first embodiment, even when one banknote 2 is normally conveyedto the contact point P0, the guide face 18 a is lifted by the front endof the banknote 2 entering the contact point P0. On the other hand, inthe second embodiment, at the contact point P0, the peripheral face 16 aof the separation roller 16 protrudes from the guide face 36 a of theguide member 35 toward the contact point P0 side, that is, toward thefeed roller 17 side. Therefore, when one banknote 2 is normally conveyedto the contact point P0, the guide face 36 a is not moved by thebanknote 2, and the front end of the banknote 2 contacts the peripheralface 16 a of the separation roller 16 at the contact point P0.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view for describing the operation of theguide member 35 according to the second embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 13, in the second embodiment, when two or more banknotes 2 areconveyed to the contact point P0, the thickness of the front end portionof the group of banknotes 2, is increased, so that the guide face 36 ais lifted by the group of banknotes 2. Thus, when two or more banknotes2 enter the contact point P0 side, the guide face 36 a is retractedupward, thereby reducing jam in the vicinity of the contact point P0.

Although not illustrated, the ideal shape of the guide face 36 a isdesirably such that the guide face extends from the accumulation unit 14side toward the contact point P0, passes through the contact point P0,and extends inward in the radial direction of the separation roller 16from the peripheral face 16 a of the separation roller 16. This shapeenables the front end of the banknote 2, which is conveyed from theaccumulation unit 14, to be guided to the contact point P0, and thebanknote 2 to be brought into contact with the peripheral face 16 a ofthe separation roller 16 without lifting the guide face 36 a by thebanknote 2, thereby further reducing the jam and skew of the banknote 2and further enhancing the reliability of the separating operation.

The banknote separation device 31 of the second embodiment includes theguide member 35 to which a pair of guide portions 36 is connected, andthus the configuration can be simplified. Further, in the secondembodiment, the movement of the guide member 35, when the front end ofthe banknote 2 enters the contact point P0, is suppressed, and thecontact between the guide face 36 a and the banknote 2 at the contactpoint P0, is suppressed, so that the durability of the guide member 35can be enhanced. As with the first embodiment, the second embodiment canalso reduce the jam and skew of the banknote 2 during the separatingoperation, and enhance the reliability of the separating operation ofthe banknote 2.

Note that the guide faces 18 a and 36 a of the guide members 18 and 35in the above-described first and second embodiments are supported by therotary shaft 25 so as to be movable in the radial direction of therotary shaft 25, but are not limited to this configuration. The guidemembers 18 and 35 may be capable of being lifted inward in the radialdirection of the separation roller 16 from the peripheral face 16 a ofthe separation roller 16, by the front end of the banknote 2 enteringthe contact point P0 between the separation roller 16 and the feedroller 17, and may be swingably supported, for example, around aswinging shaft not illustrated.

According to one aspect of the paper sheet separation device disclosedherein, the reliability of the separating operation of the paper sheets,can be enhanced.

All examples and conditional language provided herein are intended forthe pedagogical purposes of aiding the reader in understanding theinvention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to further theart, and are not to be construed as limitations to such specificallyrecited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of suchexamples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority andinferiority of the invention. Although one or more embodiments of thepresent invention have been described in detail, it should be understoodthat the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be madehereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A paper sheet separation device comprising: aseparation roller that comes into contact with paper sheets, which areconveyed from an accumulation unit accumulating the paper sheets; a feedroller that is arranged in contact with the separation roller androtates with respect to the stopped separation roller to convey thepaper sheets separately one by one; and a pair of guide members that hasguide faces, which come into sliding contact with a front end of thepaper sheets, which is conveyed from the accumulation unit, and isprovided on both sides in an axial direction of the separation roller,wherein a friction coefficient of the guide face is smaller than afriction coefficient of a peripheral face of the separation roller, theguide face is provided protruding outward of the separation roller fromthe peripheral face of the separation roller in a radial direction ofthe separation roller, and the guide face is supported to be able tomove inward in the radial direction of the separation roller at acontact point between the separation roller and the feed roller.
 2. Thepaper sheet separation device according to claim 1, further comprising abiasing member configured to bias the pair of guide members toward acontact point side, wherein the pair of guide members is providedmovably in a radial direction of a rotary shaft of the separationroller.
 3. The paper sheet separation device according to claim 1,wherein the guide faces of the pair of guide members protrude outward inthe radial direction of the separation roller from the peripheral faceof the separation roller over an entire periphery of the separationroller.
 4. The paper sheet separation device according to claim 1,wherein the pair of guide members is connected such that the guide facesare extended in the axial direction of the separation roller to coverthe peripheral face of the separation roller.
 5. The paper sheetseparation device according to claim 1, wherein the guide faces of thepair of guide members are extended from an accumulation unit side alongthe peripheral face of the separation roller toward the contact pointbetween the separation roller and the feed roller, and the vicinity ofthe contact point is positioned inward in the radial direction of theseparation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller. 6.The paper sheet separation device according to claim 1, wherein theguide faces of the pair of guide members are extended from anaccumulation unit side along the peripheral face of the separationroller toward the contact point between the separation roller and thefeed roller, pass through the contact point, and extend inward in theradial direction of the separation roller from the peripheral face ofthe separation roller.
 7. A method for separating paper sheets using apaper sheet separation device, the paper sheet separation devicecomprising a separation roller that comes into contact with paper sheetsconveyed from an accumulation unit accumulating the paper sheets, a feedroller that is arranged in contact with the separation roller androtates with respect to the stopped separation roller to convey thepaper sheets separately one by one, and a pair of guide members that hasguide faces, which come into sliding contact with a front end of thepaper sheets conveyed from the accumulation unit, and is provided onboth sides in an axial direction of the separation roller, a frictioncoefficient of the guide face being smaller than a friction coefficientof a peripheral face of the separation roller, the guide face beingprovided protruding outward of the separation roller from the peripheralface of the separation roller in a radial direction of the separationroller, and the guide face being supported to be able to move inward inthe radial direction of the separation roller at a contact point betweenthe separation roller and the feed roller, the method comprising:sliding the front end of the paper sheets, which is conveyed from theaccumulation unit, along the guide faces to the contact point; movingthe guide faces inward in the radial direction of the separation rollerby the paper sheets at the contact point to bring the paper sheets intocontact with the peripheral face of the separation roller; andseparating the paper sheets by the separation roller and the feedroller.